LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills.
FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY
Adapt to Change
Adapt to varied roles, jobs responsibilities, schedules and contexts
Work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities
Be Flexible
Incorporate feedback effectively
Deal positively with praise, setbacks and criticism
Understand, negotiate and balance diverse views and beliefs to reach workable solutions, particularly in multi-cultural environments
INITIATIVE AND SELF-DIRECTION Self-direction is the ability to set goals related to learning, plan for the achievement of those goals, independently manage time and effort, and independently assess the quality of learning and any products that result from the learning experience. Students who are able to learn independently and adapt in a world of rapid change will thrive in the 21st century. Manage Goals and Time
Set goals with tangible and intangible success criteria
Balance tactical (short-term) and strategic (long-term) goals
Utilize time and manage workload efficiently
Work Independently
Monitor, define, prioritize and complete tasks without direct oversight
Be Self-directed Learners
Go beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise
Demonstrate initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level
Demonstrate commitment to learning as a lifelong process
Reflect critically on past experiences in order to inform future progress
SOCIAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS
Interact Effectively with Others
Know when it is appropriate to listen and when to speak
Conduct themselves in a respectable, professional manner
Work Effectively in Diverse Teams
Respect cultural differences and work effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds
Respond open-mindedly to different ideas and values
Leverage social and cultural differences to create new ideas and increase both innovation and quality of work
PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY Productivity involves prioritizing, planning, and managing for efficient and effective results through the use of real-world tools. The level of complexity often present in today’s society requires workers--and students--to concentrate on the main goals of a project, carefully manage their work, and to anticipate unforeseen events or possibilities. High productivity is a basic requirement for the typical knowledge-worker of the 21st century. Manage Projects
Set and meet goals, even in the face of obstacles and competing pressures
Prioritize, plan and manage work to achieve the intended result
Produce Results
Demonstrate additional attributes associated with producing high quality products including the abilities to:
Work positively and ethically
Manage time and projects effectively
Multi-task
Participate actively, as well as be reliable and punctual
Present oneself professionally and with proper etiquette
Collaborate and cooperate effectively with teams
Respect and appreciate team diversity
Be accountable for results
LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY Leadership is the capacity of an individual or team to guide, direct, or influence a group or institution in ways that bring about change and achieve stated purposes. Leaders in the 21st century must be adaptable, possess wide intellectual curiosity, and be lifelong learners. They must be willing to see value in different perspectives, be comfortable with uncertainty, and look globally for solutions and challenges. Guide and Lead Others
Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal
Leverage strengths of others to accomplish a common goal
Inspire others to reach their very best via example and selflessness
Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in using influence and power
Be Responsible to Others
Act responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind
Teamwork Teamwork refers to the abilities to cooperate as a member of a highly successful group, to interact smoothly with others, and to work together with one or more people to achieve a goal (e.g., solve problems, create novel products, learn and master content). The demands of 21st century working and learning increasingly call for cooperative efforts.
Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills.
FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY
Adapt to Change
Be Flexible
INITIATIVE AND SELF-DIRECTION
Self-direction is the ability to set goals related to learning, plan for the achievement of those goals, independently manage time and effort, and independently assess the quality of learning and any products that result from the learning experience. Students who are able to learn independently and adapt in a world of rapid change will thrive in the 21st century.
Manage Goals and Time
Work Independently
Be Self-directed Learners
SOCIAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS
Interact Effectively with Others
Work Effectively in Diverse Teams
PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Productivity involves prioritizing, planning, and managing for efficient and effective results through the use of real-world tools. The level of complexity often present in today’s society requires workers--and students--to concentrate on the main goals of a project, carefully manage their work, and to anticipate unforeseen events or possibilities. High productivity is a basic requirement for the typical knowledge-worker of the 21st century.
Manage Projects
Produce Results
LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
Leadership is the capacity of an individual or team to guide, direct, or influence a group or institution in ways that bring about change and achieve stated purposes. Leaders in the 21st century must be adaptable, possess wide intellectual curiosity, and be lifelong learners. They must be willing to see value in different perspectives, be comfortable with uncertainty, and look globally for solutions and challenges.
Guide and Lead Others
Be Responsible to Others
Teamwork
Teamwork refers to the abilities to cooperate as a member of a highly successful group, to interact smoothly with others, and to work together with one or more people to achieve a goal (e.g., solve problems, create novel products, learn and master content). The demands of 21st century working and learning increasingly call for cooperative efforts.